Hello and Happy Fall!

It's about that time to start pulling out the sweaters, heading to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard, and sipping a pumpkin spice latte... I know that tends to be the big draw to Starbucks these days and apparently a true mark of the autumn season!

Well, the change of the season also means we're one step closer to registering for next semester's classes! I sent out an email to you all the other day and in it were my instructions for scheduling an appointment with me to talk through some options you're considering. When you're filling out the poll, please follow the prompt that asks you to sign up for certain weeks based on your last name:

Last Names A-C: Week of October 4 (Oct. 5-9)
Last Names D-G: Week of October 11 (Oct. 12-15)
Last Names H-L: Week of October 18 (Oct. 19-22)
Last Names M-W: Week of October 25 (Oct. 26-29)

Aside from my advising note, here are a couple of time management tips for those who might find themselves realizing that college is BUSY and jam-packed with not only classes, but also a ton of great opportunities like volunteering, learning all that UREC has to offer, participating in Greek life, finding a faith community on or off-campus. I know I always post some upcoming events, and have included some at the end of the blog post today as well, but self-care and making sure you are confident in managing the time it takes to be invested in these opportunities is also really important. So, if you find yourself doing all of the things:

1) Use the time you have in between classes- Even if you only have 10 minutes or you're waiting for a bus, you can still accomplish a lot in a little amount of time, like calling home, checking email, reviewing notes/study guide for the class you're going to or coming from, reviewing your to-do list for the day.

2) Make a schedule- Whether it's on your computer, phone, or in your planner, sometimes seeing things written out in front of you can help you to prioritize and see your daily commitments more clearly. Schedules can also be daily, weekly, and semester road maps.

3) Set priorities- There are a lot of ways to think about how to determine what things get done first.
Here are a couple of matrices that help define your tasks, assignment and other events in terms of how urgent they are and how important they are. Give these two a look and see if they might help you organize all that you have on your plate!

IMPORTANT/URGENT MATRIX

Now that you've got some tools to manage your time, here are some upcoming events:

• To celebrate the end of International Week at JMU, CS-L is offering a free family-style dinner tomorrow, Friday, September 25 at 6:30PM in the Festival Ballroom. Cultural performances, food, conversation and sharing will be the focal point of the event. Everyone is welcome to this event, but space is limited.

• Seems to be a theme of food this weekend! The JMU Triathlon Club is hosting the 10th annual Donut Dash 5K Walk/Run fundraiser. Each donut you eat shaves 1 minute off of your total race time...so enjoy yourself! Check out the website for more info- it sounds like a great Sunday morning to me!

• Join the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS) for their D.E.E.P. Impact Dialogue Series event, "Rethinking Disney: Not a Child's Perspective" on Wednesday, September 30, at 7PM in the Madison Union Ballroom. These monthly discussions focus on engaging students in meaningful dialogue about issues and trends related to diversity, multiculturalism, access, and inclusion. This event uses an identity lens to explore numerous Disney moves in order to reveal connotations, stereotypes, and biases. throughout the program, characters, imagery, and scenery will be discussed to challenge our views of some of these movies.

• Want to explore the Valley? JMU's Office of Off-Campus Life is sponsoring a trip to Waynesboro, Virginia for the Fall Foliage Arts Festival- an outdoor arts show which features painting, printmaking, potter, jewelry, wood, glass, and more. There will be over 200 booths with artists and artisans from all over the country as well as local food and live music. The trip will be held on Saturday, October 10th, from 11:30AM-3:00PM. Transportation will be provided and the cost of the trip is free, but you will need to bring money to purchase and art, crafts, or food. To sign up, stop by the Off-Campus Life Office in the  Festival during their office hours (M-Th 9-8 and M-F 9-5). It's first come, first served and they're only taking 22 students!

Your parting words are echoed from the Eisenhower Box above and hopefully encourage you to take a minute to think about all you have going on and prioritize it as you see fit:

"What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important"

~Dwight D. Eisenhower~ 

Hello and Happy Third Week of Classes!

I hope you all feel as if you are in the swing of things now that the semester is well under way and we're approaching October and the fall weather! Campus will start to change as the season does, the leaves will fade into fall shades and brighten into beautiful reds, and chatter of apple picking, pumpkin carving, and harvest festivals will be abuzz. For now, please enjoy the snapshots that I've included as we slowly start to see a shift in the season.

Below are some dates and deadlines for you to be considering as you move forward:

Deadlines for adding classes with instructor and academic unit head permission:

Semester class:  Thursday, September 17, 2015

First eight-week class:  Thursday, September 17, 2015

Second eight-week class:  Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Course adjustment deadlines (to withdraw with a W grade or change credit or repeat options):

Semester Class:  Thursday, October 29, 2015

First eight-week class:  Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Second eight-week class:  Thursday, November 19, 2015

~After the course adjustment deadlines, you cannot withdraw from a class through MyMadison and you should contact the Registrar if there are any questions~

There is also a date for withdrawing from the university if you decide that JMU just isn't for you. While many love it here, it's totally understandable that some may choose different paths and that's ok. I hope that if this is something you're considering, that you pursue whatever brings you joy :) 

The date for withdrawing from the university with the cancellation of tuition charges is tomorrow, Friday, September 18. If this is something you pursue, there are some steps involved in the process. The first step is to pick up a Non-Returning/Leave of Absence Information Form. You can click on the title of the form listed and it will link you to it, or pick one up from the Registrar's Office. This includes a checklist you must complete before successfully separating from JMU.

Thanks for bearing with me- dates and deadlines are important, but now I get to share some of the exciting things that campus has to offer and that are happening right now around us!

The Frances Plecker Education Center

In case you haven't been, this is my shameless plug for The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum. It is BEAUTIFUL and with the leaves changing color fall is a wonderful time for a visit. Located on University Boulevard (across from the University Boulevard entrance to campus and E-hall and Convo) the arboretum is named for JMU's former first lady and is the only arboretum located on a public university campus in VA. With over 33 acres of botanical gardens and 92 acres of forest, it's a refreshing atmosphere in which to walk, jog, lounge, and take in the wildlife sights. Frequently spotted are turtles, ducks, countless species of birds, and some creepy crawlers too! In the winter months, holiday carriage rides are offered, as well as for Valentines and Mothers' Day. Finally, there's an intricate Labyrinth that is off the beaten path that offers a quiet place to for self-reflection, fashioned after the history of labyrinths as meditative art forms and a PoetTree located near the pond. I'll let you take a guess at what that means, but I also encourage you to check it out yourself and see what I'm so excited about!

A View from the Pond

Upcoming Events: 

1) UPB's Movie this week is Cinderella. For $3...that's right, $3...stop by Grafton-Stovall and enjoy a re-make of the Disney classic. Showings are September 16-19 at 7:00 P.M.

2) Bare Naked Ladies is a student organization dedicated to spreading positivity by promoting healthy body image, self-confidence, and comfort with our natural beauty. If you're interested in seeing what they're all about, their first general meeting is next Tuesday, September 22, at 7:30 PM in Showker, Room G6.

3) Have you heard of the Lip Sync Battles on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon? UPB is hosting it's very own version at Taylor Down Under on next Thursday, September 24, at 7:00 PM. There will be free Campus Cookies AND Shaun Nerney, one of the talented members of Exit 245 (one of JMU's rockin' A Capella groups!), will be your host for the evening...and maybe even have a performance of his own!

P.S. If you haven't heard of any of JMU's A Capella groups, they are AMAZING. We've got some serious talent here on campus. Right now, Notoriety is getting really positive attention for their cover of "Pretty Hurts" which is posted here, as well Exit 245's cover of "19 You & Me." Enjoy :) 

As always, I leave you with some words that I hope are whatever you need them to be for you:

If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.

~Nora Roberts~

Week Two- You're Doing It!

Well, you've done it. You've successfully launched yourself into your college career! With so many exciting things happening across campus, I don't want you to forget some important things. First, Add/Drop ends tonight at midnight, but I really don't encourage you to wait that long to make any changes you need to make. Try and be the early bird and be vigilant about looking for the classes you may be interested in swapping out or adding throughout the rest of the evening so that you can relax and enjoy the second thing I wanted to remind you about: Student Org Night. Unfortunately, last week because of the weather, the event was cancelled. But tonight, on the UREC Upper Turf from 7pm-9pm, the show will go on! Upperclassmen are encouraged to attend from 7pm-8pm, and first-year students are encouraged to attend from 8pm-9pm.

One final note on adding classes. On MyMadison, there is a "Swap" function. This is a great option when considering adding/dropping a class because it eliminates two sticky situations:
1) You drop a class and risk the other class you intend to add filling up in the time it takes for you to click to that screen.
2) Or you already have 18 credits, the number of credits you can have at which point the system will not allow you to add anymore classes onto your online schedule.

In order to avoid this, you can follow the steps below:

          1) Log onto MyMadison
          2) Go into your Student Center
          3) Under "Academics" on the left hand side of the page, there will be a list of options                               starting with "Search" and ending with "My Major/Program." Click on "Enroll" which is                     one of the options listed
          4) Select "swap" from the second row of the 10 purple tabs at the top of the page
          5) This will take you to a page that allows you to swap a class from your current schedule with               another class that you can search for using the "search for class" function. I would                               recommend having the class information of the class you which to switch into/add in front of               you so that you can easily plug it into that search engine.
         6) Follow the steps as indicated by the prompts on the screens to follow and you will have                      swapped the class you no longer want to take for another open class that you want to add                    without having to drop the first class and risk missing the chance to add the second.

So, now that Add/Drop is here, my walk-in hours are wrapping up, and from this point forward it is your responsibility to make an appointment to see me should you have any questions about majors/minors/concentrations/programs, potential career paths, or are curious to explore your strengths and interests to help you figure it all out. Because honestly, there's just so much out there and how are we supposed to know what we want to do and who we want to be?? Also, I've really enjoyed getting to meet several of you over the course of the past couple of weeks and am really looking forward to meeting more of you over the course of this semester!

That being said, to make an appointment with me on Recruit-A-Duke (RAD), which is our scheduling platform), follow the steps below:

• Go to www.jmu.edu/cap
• Click on “Schedule an Appointment” on the left hand side under the Quick Links box.
• This page will describe each of the types of appointments that we hold for students, including but not limited to: 1st time (and follow-up) resume and cover letter reviews and exploration of job internships, graduate/professional school exploration.
• Enter your username and password. Your username is your 9-digit JAC number and your password is what you created.
• Directly under Quick Links on the right hand side, click on “Schedule an Appointment.”
• For type of appointment, choose “Meet with my CAP Academic Advisor” in the drop down menu.
• Select "Student Success Center 3210", my name (Renee Bernier) and click “check availability."
• Choose the meeting date and time that works with your schedule on the right.
• It would be very helpful to provide a few words/sentences on what you’d like to talk about so that I can prepare for our meeting in advance, although it is not required. Click "submit request."
• You will be able to see your upcoming appointments and you will receive a confirmation email in your Dukes account.

Now, there are alternative methods to scheduling. You can always call (540) 568-6555 and schedule over the phone with one of our wonderful receptionists. Or, you can come in to the Career & Academic Planning Office on the 3rd Floor of the Student Success Center and schedule a session in person. However, I strongly encourage you to use Recruit-A-Duke because in the future it will be instrumental when you apply for jobs, internships, and register for Career and Graduate School Fairs (as well as other events that CAP offers, like ResumePREP).

Upcoming Events:

• Study Abroad Information Sessions are coming up! These are for anyone interested in learning general information about study abroad- no appointment necessary! The 30 minutes sessions cover the "big picture" of study abroad and give students an understanding of the various program options. Sessions will be held from     4:00-5:00 PM in Taylor 402 on: September 9, 15, 16, 29, & 30.

• "Meet the Greeks", presented by Inter-Cultural Greek Council (I.C.G.C.), will be held this Thursday, September 10 in the Madison Union Ballroom at 7:00 PM. This is an awesome opportunity to learn more about historically Asian, Latino, and African-American Greek Lettered Organizations. 

• Invited guest Dave Romano will speak on World Suicide Prevention Day, 9/10 at 7pm in the Memorial Hall Auditorium and share his unique story, as well as his commitment to empowering individuals to speak openly about mental health and encourage asking for help. This is a PASSPORT event, and sponsored by the JMU Counseling Center, University Health Center's The Well, & Active Minds.

• Tryouts for Madison Dance, a student run club with four teams are being held on Sunday, 9/10 in the UREC MAC gym. Contemporary (12-2 PM), Jazz 2-4 PM), Hip Hop (4-6 PM), and Street (6-8 PM). Try out for one or all of them. If you cannot make that date, the alternate date for contemporary & jazz is September 8 from 9-11 PM and for hip hop and street, September 9 from 9-11 PM- both of which are in the group fitness studio. Check them out here:

Volunteer Opportunity:

• JMU's Overcoming Barriers allows student from all majors the opportunity to mentor children and adults with disabilities through physical activity. Some of their programs are even offered right here on campus! If you're interested, you'll be paired with a program participant in order to mentor them throughout your time together and you'll receive training throughout your experience to help build mentorship skills. Also, your minimum time commitment to the program is once a week for 1.5-2 hrs, leaving you plenty of time to study, socialize, and participate in any other co-curriculars you're interested in. If you are interested, the initial Mentor Training meetings are:  9/8 from 8:00-9:30 PM and 9/10 from 7:00-8:30 PM in Godwin Hall, Room 353. Please email Dr. Thomas Moran (the Project Director) to indicate the meeting you would be most interested in attending. Also, please fill out the intake form .

That's all for this week! Here's a thought to noodle on as you begin to get into your classes and really figure out what makes you happy:

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

~ John Lennon ~

Your First Week!

Happy first week of classes, everyone! 

I met all of you at our 1787 group advising session with Laura and Cassidy, but I'll use this space to let you know a little bit more about myself and then every week after as a space to share some things to noodle on and some upcoming events as you journey through your first year here at JMU! As I mentioned last week, my name is Renee Bernier and I will be your advisor in CAP, at least until the spring semester, as I help you navigate your first year experience and consider potential majors for the remainder of your time here at JMU.

I graduated from Stonehill College, a small Catholic college in Massachusetts and am now completing my Masters degree in College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) here at JMU. When I graduate in May, I look forward to work on a college campus in a setting like CAP...or other student affairs offices that serve students! I really enjoy the work I've been able to do so far, and am looking forward to this year working in Career & Academic Planning with all of you. My desire to work with students stems largely from my own experience in my undergrad career. I entered Stonehill undeclared, with a basic knowledge that I wanted to pursue a helping field where I got to work with and for people on a regular basis. (It's not just you! Being undeclared is a pretty normal and common thing!) I spent my first two years undeclared and took courses in a variety of subjects in order to try and narrow down what I wanted my focus and major to be. English? Dietetics? Religious studies? In the end, I declared Sociology. I had taken one course in high school, really enjoyed it, and then after taking a couple in my first year of college, decided that it was for me. Sure, I knew I would probably have to get a higher degree in something like Social Work or Counseling in order to do the work I thought I eventually might want to do. But in the moment, Sociology courses were really interesting and thought-provoking to me, I knew it would allow me to work with people in some form of human services, and the lives that my professors led fascinated me.

My hope this semester is that you all are able to find classes that are thought-provoking and make you question, allow you to find your voice, and potentially lead you to find a future path. As that all unfolds, I also hope you have fun and find your place here at JMU. Coming from a small school to this campus was a wonderful change for me and I've found that even amongst almost 22,000 students I feel a part of a tight-knit community.

Alright, so now for some things to noodle on as you continue this week:

• If you do add a class, make sure to introduce yourself to the professor of the new class and check to make sure you're as up to speed as possible. This means getting a syllabus, knowing if the professor uses Canvas and if they have posted any assignments, and if there has been anything assigned to date so that you can make up that work.

• Create a schedule: Time management will be crucial in managing your classes but also whatever it is that you choose to get involved with this semester, be it work, volunteerism, clubs and organizations, and also your personal time for self-care. Creating a schedule can work or using a planner (there are free ones at the bookstore and UREC right now!)- both are tactics I use and it keeps me organized and on top of my to-do list!

• Show up and stand out! The first step to being successful in class is showing up to that class and showing up on time. Being punctual speaks volumes about your character and what you value. Yes college is a time to explore many different opportunities, but don't lose sight of the education that you've worked so hard to be here to gain. Your professor will appreciate your timeliness and in the end, you will too when you see how prepared you are for your papers and exams. And stand out! Remember at our session when we spoke about participation grades and such. They are real! So don't be afraid to sit near the front in class, speak up, ask questions, and engage in discussion and debate. Being an active learner will not only earn you participation points, but it will also instill great skills for your future as a college student and future intern, volunteer, employee- whoever you decide to be!

• Don't forget- there are resources out there if you need or want them (all of those I am about to list are housed within the Student Success Center (SSC)...
• The Learning Centers (Science & Math, Communication Center, University Writing Center and more!) 
• https://www.jmu.edu/learning/
• The Office of Disability Services (ODS): This office exists in order to make sure that students with documented disabilities have equal access to all that JMU has to offer both in and outside of the classroom. Learning Strategies Instruction (LSI) is also housed within ODS and is available to all students. They help with note-taking, study skills, critical thinking, test-taking, scheduling and time management, and more.
• The University Health Center has 3 components: A walk-in clinic for immediate situations, an appointment clinic, and The Well, located on the 1st floor of the SSC and an office that focuses on overall health education, including but not limited to sexual assault awareness and prevention, substance abuse prevention, intervention, and recovery, and LGBTQ resources.

The Counseling Center: works with students in a variety of ways- workshops on everything from body image and acceptance to stress management, individual and group counseling, and also provides 2 really neat self-care spaces- The Oasis and The Studio. Check out the videos below to see what all the hype is about!

Upcoming Events:

• Add/Drop period ends on 9/8/2015 (next Tuesday!). That being said, you still have time to go to your classes this week and determine if they're right for you or if you want to make any changes. This also means you should be keeping your eyes open for classes on MyMadison that you may want to add to your schedule to see if there are any open spots. This will change daily and several times during the day, so keep at it!

• Student Org Night: This Friday, Sept. 4 from 8-9 on the UREC upper turf! This is a great way to explore different clubs and organizations from across campus that you may want to get involved in, meet some new people, and learn about the tons of exciting activites happening at JMU. Then stick around from 9-11 for Dukes After Dark, where there will be music, food, and giveaways for all!

• Residence Life is sponsoring the "Most Decked Out Room Contest!" Check out the link below for instructions- you could win a $25 gift card, plus show off your style!
• http://www.jmu.edu/news/orl/2015/09/07-room-contest.shtml

• ResumePrep (9/8/2-15- next Tuesday in Madison Ballroom on the 5th floor of Warren Hall) is an annual event sponsored by CAP where you have the opportunity to sit down with an employer to review your resume- a great prep idea for the Fall 2015 Career & Internship Fair coming up later in September. Again, check out the link below to read more about it and the prizes that are also up for grabs at the event!
• http://www.jmu.edu/cap/fair/resumeprep/students.shtml

Phew that was a lot! But I do want to leave you with some parting words before next week. No matter what this week is feeling like for you- just right, slightly overwhelming, a little bit more than slightly overwhelming- keep the following in mind:

"Promise me you'll remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think."

~ A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh~